Jakob steiorer



J. STEIGER.

ROLLER SKATE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25.19:!1.

1 ,3 14,1 59.. Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

flame/23%)? J'AKOB STEIGER, OF EBNAT-KAIPPEL, SWITZERLAND.

ROLLER-SKATE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug; 26, 1919.

Application filed June 25, 1918. Serial No. 241,885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAKOB Srnrenn, a citizen of the Republic ofSwitzerland, residing at Ebnat-Kappel, Switzerland, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Roller-Skates; and Ido herebydeclare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accomanying drawing, and to letters or figures o reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in roller skates provided withtwo wheels only, arranged one in front of the other and havingapivotally mounted front guide wheel I ,for instance, in all rollerskates provided with a guide wheel adapted to be swiveled or rotatedabout a vertical axis.

I am aware, that it has already been proposed to provide on rollerskates an adjustable front guide wheel adapted to be rotated about avertical axis in order to enable skaters to curve about. 'Said axislies, however, behind the axis of the front guide wheel, so that a skateof such design can not be used because the slewingor rotation axis ofthe guide roller or wheel cuts the line on which the skate is runningbehind the point of contact of the guide roller with the runningsurface. In consequence of this, the guide wheel is turned in the wrongdirection when describing curves, so that the running wheel has thetendency to deviate the skate from the curve to be described and toforce it to move along a line curved in tho opposite direction.

The object of the present invention is now, ,to provide a roller skateprovided withonly two wheels or' rollers, the front one of which ismounted on an inclined slewing or rotation axis, in which anaccommodation or adjustment of the roller skateto the curve to bedescribed is possible without the description of the curve beingrendered, in consequence of such an ad ustment, more insecure. Accordingto this invention, the single front wheel is arranged in sucha mannerwith regard to the slewing or rotation axis inclined from the tip of theskate backward that the point of contact ofsaid front guide wheel withthe running surface lies behind the point at which the rotation ax scuts the line to be described, so that the gulde wheel remains,notwithstanding the in clination taken up by the skate when turning 1ncurves, nearlyvertical to the line to be described and isconsequentlyforced. to follow the line to be described. Owing to the fact, that theguide wheel remains approximately vertical to the line to be described,

any sliding of the guide roller out of the curve to be described isprevented.

For the purpose of causing the front guide roller to take up a verticalposition before the skate is put on the surface on which the skate willthen run, I may fix a weight. to the slewing or rotation axis causingthe guide roller to adjust itself to the line to be described also inthat case in which the skate, while taking up a laterally inclined,

position, is moved toward the line to be dewill be always in a verticalposition when it comes in contact with the running surface, so that itdoes not matter which position is taken up1 by the skate when it comesin contact wit said surface.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference tothe ac- '2 indicate the plate of the skate on which the foot comes torest; said plate is provided with means for fastening the skate to theshoe- Near the rear end of the skate a running wheel 3 having a roundedoff running scribed. Because of this, the guide roller surfaceis'supported in a leg 4 fixed to the plate 1, 2. To the front end of theplate 1', 2 is secured by means of screws 5 provided near the front edgeof the plate 1, 2 a plate 6 forming a part of a bearing 7, V In thelatter is revolubly mounted by means of a pivot 8 a fork 9. The fork 9is provided with slots 10 which act as bearings for the 7 front guidewheel 11. The running surface of rotation-V of the guide wheel 11 iskept in determinate position with regard to the fork 9', Thelatter is ofsuch a shape that the P of contact A, of the roller. 11 with the surfaceon which the skate is running," lies behind the point B at which theprolongation of the axis fof 'rot'ati'on of the fork 9 cuts the line tobe described, said axis beingapproximately tangent to "the periphery ofthe roller 11. Owing to this more backward'errangement of the guidewheel 11, an

automatic steering of sai d 'wheel 11 is 'at V tained in the manneralready referred to tion of the plateG'may'be'adapted, however, to therequirements ofthe skater. To this skater by adjusting the nut 14; Intheem-' bodiment of the invention illustrated inf Fig. 4, the spring 15 isreplaced by a'weight" 20carried by an arm 21; The latter is fixed whenturning curves.' I

A spring 15 fixed at one endto an earferk 9 has the tendency to move thelatter always into its middle'position. The incli- V nation of the plate6 is such, that the axis of the fork ,9 is inclined at an angle of about45 to the li'netobedes'c'ribed. The inclinaend, screws 18 are screwedinto the pl'ate 6,

said screws bearing against the' bottom surface of'thepart 1 of theplate 1, 2; Said part 1 is also-provided with holes'through which passscrews 19 screwed into "the plate '6. A tightening of the screws IQhasthe efiect to secure the plate 6 relatively to the plate 1,2 in adeterminate position. fUpon "inclined from the plate of the skate and{approximately tangent to the periphery of a loosening'of one set ofscrews (1801' 1 9) and upon a tightening of the other set (19"or '18),the inclination of the plate 6 may be adapted to the requirements of theto an extension 22 of the pivot 8. The object of this construction is tocause the guide wheel 11 to take up a vertical position when 1t comes incontact with the: running surshoe plate and adapted to-rotateabouty anaxis inclined from the tip of the skate backward, the front roller beingarranged in such a manner with regard to said' axis that 'face, and thiseven in the case that the skate its point of contact with the runn'ingsur- I face lies behind-the point at which said'ro tation axis cutstheline to be described.

2. In a roller skate, a footplate, two rollers arranged in front of oneanother, a member secured to the rear portion of said plate "and actingas bearing {for the rear roller, a n1emb,er carrying "the front rollerhaving its bearing in the front portion of said plate and adapted torotate about an axis inclined from the tip of the skate backwardfihefront 'roller being arranged in sucha manneewith regard vto said'axi'stha t its point o'fcontact' with the running surface lies behindthe point at which said rotation axis eutsthe position before theskateis put on the run- *lineto be described, and aweightjsecured to thepivot of said member adapted to roflike projection 16 of the plate 1,2and at the'othe'r end to a'hook 17 provided on the ning surfaceand thiseven in the case that T the skate moved toward the running surface Ytakes up an inclined position; 1

3. In a roller skate, a single'front'roller mounted to swivel on an axisinclined to the plate of the skate and means to adjust-the- ;inclinationof the axis. 5

. 4-. In a rollerskate, a'single-front toner mounted to "swivel on 'an'axis inclined to the plate of the skate, means-to adjust theinc'lination of the; axis "and means to adjust said roller to and fromsaid axis.

5.111 a roller skate, a Sliigle front ant.

mounted toswivel onan axis rearwardly said roller. v I

6. In a roller skate, a single front. roller mounted to swivel on anaxis inclined rearwardly approximately'45 said axis intersecting theskating surface at "a point in 'secting the skating surface at a pointin front of the point where the rollertouches said surface, means toalter the inclination when not under load, said means being subof saidaxis and means to adjust the roller stantially inactive when said rollercontacts to vary the distance between said points. With the rollingsurface. 10 8. In a roller skate, a single front roller In testimonythat I claim the foregoing 5 mounted to swivel on an axis inclined tothe as my invention, I have signed my name.

plate of the skate, and means sufficient to hold said roller inlongitudinal position J AKOB STEIGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

